I grew up being surrounded by porcelain. My grandmother had a beautiful Blue Onion set by Meissen. So, when I saw the traditional Chinese blue-and-white ceramics on display at "China: Through the Looking Glass", I was taken back to my childhood memories of lunches and afternoon teas.

In my previous blogs about this exhibition, I highlighted Guo Pei and the Chinese culture of wuxia. Western designers, as we will learn in this blog, have appreciated the intricate pattern of the traditional porcelain designs. The history of porcelain exchange is more than just a history of business between East and West. It is primarily about cultural exchange - while it was developed in China in the 13th century, it has influenced potters in the Netherlands, Germany, and England.

The designs in this gallery showcase garments by Western designers who incorporated the porcelain patterns in the fabric imprints. The silhouettes are mostly Western and familiar to the Western customer. We can admire corset-like tops, over-sized skirts, and halter tops.

The design in the bottom right photo is by Guo Pei, who draws both on her Chinese heritage and her extensive knowledge of the Western culture. Her golden dress has a whole gallery devote to it. Her blue-and-white gown is exquisite.

Check out other blogs about "China: Through the Looking Glass": Blog 1 - Guo Pei: Couture from Beijing in New York CityBlog 2 - Warrior Culture in Fashions at "China: Through the Looking Glass"